Chief Executive Jo Buckley (pictured) gave updates on the Dunard Centre’s progress at May’s New Town & Broughton Community Council meeting. We very briefly summarised them in Issue 351 (p.4).
Interesting points and clarifications for which we didn’t have room in print included:
The Dunard Centre, scheduled to open in 2029, is administered under the name Impact Scotland. It is independently owned and managed.
The project’s main private financial contributor is the charitable Dunard Fund, which is also the principal contributor to development of the emerging National Centre for Music at the old Royal High School on Regent Rd. The two organisations are entirely separate and independently run with distinct yet complementary emphases on performance (DC) and participation (NCM).
A ‘mutual conversation’ and collaborative approach will also be fostered with the Queen’s Hall. There are areas of overlay between the two venues but also points of difference: e.g. the DC’s fixed seating compared to QH’s more ‘gig-based vibe’.
The Dunard Centre’s accessibility and affordability are key principles. Open rehearsals will be free to attend. Protected funding will limit the cost of some seats at performances. Rather than simply providing ‘halls for hire’, the aim is to create affordable ‘curated spaces’ which encourage wider involvement and community engagement (not just in musical events).
Buckley says, ‘The Dunard Centre represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to focus on the importance of place in effecting civic and societal change.’
For further information and background, see the Dunard Centre’s website here.
[Images courtesy of the Dunard Centre.]
